I yawn and stretch as I step out of work the following evening. I’m supposed to be heading over to my parents’ house to see my dad and talk about my new case, but I’m exhausted. I know, however, that if I don’t show, he’ll be disappointed—so with effort, I lift a hand and flag a cab. A loud crack of thunder echoes in the distance, and I know that any moment now, it’s going to rain.
I’m right: just as a cab comes to a stop beside the curb, the clouds open up and rain starts pattering down. I throw myself toward the car, swinging the door open and diving inside before I end up with a messy hair job that is impossible to fix. What I don’t notice on my little dive to protect myself is that someone has already gotten into this cab.
“This is my cab.”
I turn with a squeal, and then my mouth drops open as I see Raide staring at me, arms crossed, amber eyes studying me. He’s wearing a pair of black jeans and a seriously tight gray sweater that does some seriously amazing things to his muscles. I swallow the thick lump that rises in my throat. It should be enough of a crime that he looks like that.
“Ah, I…”
Real classy, Grace.
“Do I know you?”
Say what? He doesn’t remember me. Well, that’s just a big old slap in the face, isn’t it? Because of that comment alone, I lean back in the seat, cross my arms and mutter, “This is my cab.”
He grunts. “Lady, it isn’t.”
I smirk at him. “Man, it is.”
“Fuck me,” he mutters. “Well, we’re sharing, then.”
My mind whirls, knowing this is my golden opportunity to seduce him, though we didn’t exactly start off on the best foot. Plus, if he figures out what I’m up to, he’ll probably hit me over the head and bury me in a shallow grave. I bite my lip pensively and he turns to stare at me some more. How did I forget how beautiful he is? It’s always the beautiful ones who are so deadly.
“You sure I haven’t met you before? Your face seems familiar … though I’ve seen a lot of faces in the last month.” He grins, staring at my lips now.
Wow, he’s still as arrogant as he was the day I met him. Not to mention it’s clear I made a massive impression on him … not. How am I expected to seduce him when I can’t even get him to remember my face? I need to pick up my game. Fast.
“Probably in your wildest imagination.” I flash a flirtatious grin at him. “That happens a lot.”
His lip quirks and he leans back in the seat, crossing his arms. “I only go for blondes.”
Ouch.
“Yeah, well, I only go for men with—” I look him up and down. “—big—” His face grows lusty. “—personalities.”
He chuckles softly and I want to close my eyes and pray to the high heavens to make him sound like a wheezing man with bronchitis instead of the gorgeous, masculine one he sounds like.
“I’m up for the challenge. I can show you plenty of big, lady,” he rasps.
“Ugh,” I mutter even though my heart is pounding.
“You always so pleasant to be around?” he asks, his eyes still on me.
“You always so arrogant?” I throw back.
His eyes flare with amusement and I reach toward the door. “I’m taking another cab.”
He reaches across, his big body covering mine as he stops me from being able to open the door. I gasp at his close proximity and squirm desperately to dislodge myself from his hot, hard body. “Take her where she’s goin’ first,” he murmurs to the cabdriver.
I gape as we take off, and the driver asks where I’m going. I mutter off an address and then turn to Raide, who is smirking. “Is it a tradition of yours to hold women hostage in cabs?”
He chuckles. “I’m not holdin’ you hostage, you wanna jump out—” He nods toward the door. “—off you go. I was only trying to be a gentleman.”
I snort. “I get the distinct feeling you’re never a gentleman.”
His eyes flash with amusement and he leans in close. “No, you’re right about that. Care for me to show you just how ungentlemanly I can be?”
Oh boy, my heart kicks up a notch and I can’t stop my eyes dropping to his lips. Raide Knox is dangerous, there’s no doubt about that.
“Dream on, buddy,” I say, but my voice comes out in a sultry puff.
His lips twitch. Yeah, he caught that.
“What’s a lady doing out this late anyway? It’s not wise to be out alone at this time of night, especially a tiny little thing like you.”
I know that for the sake of seduction, I should offer up a flirtatious reply. But his comment irks me. “I can take care of myself just fine. I’m a woman, not a defenseless idiot.”
He chuckles. “I have no doubt you can take care of yourself, but isn’t it a lot more fun to have a man take care of you?” By the heat in his eyes, there’s no mistaking his meaning.
I cross my arms and stare up at the cab roof, frustrated that he seems to be seducing me instead of the other way around.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think women are great for a lot of things.”
“I have a good idea what those things are, and I’ll have you know that we’re capable of a hell of a lot more than just satisfying a man’s needs.”
This all comes out in a rush, and Raide is silent for a moment. Then he bursts out laughing. “You really have a stick shoved right up your ass, don’t you, lady?”
I purse my lips. “No, I just think women have the same abilities as men and should have the same opportunities.”
“There’s a problem with that,” he murmurs, leaning in close.
With a hitch in my voice, I say, “And that is?”
“Women aren’t men.”
Damn him. He has a point. Even if I hate to admit it.
“They were never meant to be men.”
Stupid jerk.
I turn and stare out the window, not wanting to argue further with this infuriating man. When the cab pulls up a few doors down, because I purposely gave the driver the wrong address, I reach for the door and push it open after thrusting a twenty at him. I glance at Raide as I’m climbing out and yet again he’s staring at me with those to die for amber eyes. “Good to see you again, Gracie.”
My mouth drops open as he closes the door and the cab takes off.
He knew the whole time.
Damn Raide, he one-upped me again.